An historic record and pictorial description of the town of Meriden, Connecticut and men who have made it, Part 91

Author: Gillespie, Charles Bancroft, 1865-1915; Curtis, George Munson
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Meriden, Conn. Journal publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1252

USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Meriden > An historic record and pictorial description of the town of Meriden, Connecticut and men who have made it > Part 91

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A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

store with whom he came in contact. His entry into the ice business, and the subsequent formation of the com- pany which bears his name, was the natural outcome of his enterprise, bus- iness activity and reliability, and the success to which he has guided the business reflects upon his judgment and business acumen with full credit.

Outside of business Mr. Bishop has been an active spirit in the life of Mer-

ber of Center Lodge, 97, F. & A. M., Keystone Chapter, No. 27, and St. Elmo Commandery, No. 9, K. T. He is now serving his second term as president of the Meriden Business Men's Association, also secretary of the State Business Men's Association, and is a member of the general com- mittee of the Meriden Centennial cel- ebration. He stands high in social circles, and is a member of both the

Photo by R. S. Godfrey.

DISTRIBUTING DEPOT, D. L. BISHOP - CO.

iden. In 1900-1901 he served as a member of the board of aldermen, be- ing elected from the Fifth ward. Dur- ing his connection with the city gov- ernment he proved to be a wise coun- selor to his associates in the transac- tion of city affairs. He was appointed and served on several important spe- cial committees with credit to his con- stituents and the city. He is a mem-

Home and Colonial Clubs of Meriden.

In 1891 he was united in marriage with Esther C., daughter of C. G. Johnson, who during his life was a leading citizen of Meriden, and a large real estate dealer. His home is blessed with two bright children, Ethel Johnson and Wilfred Merriman. Mr. Bishop is a direct lineal descendant on the maternal side of Gov. William

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MANUFACTORIES.

Leete, first governor of the Connec- ticut Colonies, and on the paternal side, of James Bishop, one of the dep- uty governors of New Haven colony. He is also an active member of the Center Congregational church of Meriden, and one of the trustees of the Meriden Young Women's Chris- tian Association. He is also a mem- ber of the Meriden Board of Trade, of which organization he is one of the directors.

ELIAS OEFINGER.

Elias Oefinger, manufacturer of tuning pipes, and who conducts the only factory devoted exclusively to that industry in the United States, was born in Germany in the town of Trossingen. In that European town the larger portion of the harmonicas of the world are made. He was ed- ucated in the common schools of his native country and early in life learned the trade of a harmonica mak- er, which he followed for many years. With his brother he came to this city in 1880. In 1900 as a member of the firm of John and Elias Oefinger, he began the manufacture of the patent tuning pipes bearing his name and which have become famous in the musical trade. The tuning pipes were first manufactured in the shop of the Standard Novelty company ; but in 1902 the present factory, corner Me- chanic and North George streets, was removed to, where two floors are oc- cupied. In 1901 Mr. Oefinger's brother was accidentally killed by the

cars at the Center street crossing and his sad death removed from Meriden one of the most energetic and indus- trious manufacturers within its bor- ders. Since the decease of his broth- er Mr. Oefinger has carried on the business alone. Through his inven- tive genius he has made and success- fully put upon the market several kinds of tuning pipes, among them a pitch pipe, giving the entire chromatic scale. The pipes made by this manu- facturer, 6,000 annually, also comprise those giving the correct pitch for tun- ing the four strings of the violin or mandolin, five of the banjo and six of the guitar. The product of the fac- tory is sold through the music houses of the country.

Mr. Oefinger, in common with men of his nationality, is a great lover of music and is a talented player of sev- eral instruments. He has for some years been a member of the Lyra Sing- ing society of Meriden ; also a mem- ber of the Meriden Turn Verein and the Workmen's Sick Benefit Associa- tion. His industry adds to the busi- ness welfare of Meriden and his inter- est concerning his adopted city has never been in doubt.

WILBUR B. HALL

Wilbur Birdsey Hall, manufac- turer of individual peppers and salts, napkin rings and other small articles of electro plate and white metal goods, is of the third genera- tion of a family whose name has for

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A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

many years been associated with this typical branch of Meriden in- dustry. Both his father and grand- father were prominent in the busi- ness and industrial life of the town. Mr. Hall is a descendant of one of the oldest families in Connecticut and which is traced back to John Hall, who died in Wallingford in 1676, and of whom much is stated elsewhere in these pages Lewis

business on his own account in 1882. Three years later, or in July 1885, his success enabled him to build the factory on Parker Avenue which he has since conducted and in which he has won the distinction of making more of the goods, of which he makes a specialty and for which his factory is justly renowned, than all other factories combined. A and started in the manufacturing

WILBUR BHALL.

FACTORY OF WILBUR B. HALL.

Hall, father of Wilbur B., was for over thirty years superintendent of the Wilcox Silver Plate Co., and as such was connected with that well known concern, now a part of the International Silver Co., until his death in 1900.

Wilbur B. Hall learned the mys- teries of the silver plated ware in- dustry also in that large factory

portion of the output of this factory is that of special goods bearing the name of large dealers. The factory is well adapted for the work carried on and in 1905 became equipped with its own electric lighting plant. The goods of Mr. Hall's manufac- ture are sold to the trade direct from the factory and are used all over the world.

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MANUFACTORIES.

F. J. WALLACE.

Frederick J. Wallace, manufactur- er of saddlery hardware and horse- hair plumes for sleighs, saddle chimes and bridles, occupies the old Chap- man Manufacturing Company's plant and employs quite a number of hands. The output of his factory, excepting that of the horsehair plumes, is what is known as an unfinished product,

ready adaptation to circumstances, he has established a manufacturing bus- iness of the above line, which has grown rapidly, in a few years, to large proportions.

Mr. Wallace, while a native of Mas- sachusetts, has been a resident and en- gaged in business in Meriden since 1876 ; and for fifteen years previous to engaging in manufacturing, conducted a retail provision store as a member

FACTORY OF F. J. WALLACE.

and his trade is with the large job- bers and harness manufacturers. As Mr. Wallace was formerly a success- ful traveling salesman for the old Chapman Manufacturing Company, and Landers, Frary & Clark, when he bought and started up his plant he possessed a wide acquaintance with the trade. Through his knowledge of the wants of his customers and his

of the firm of Patten & Wallace when he served one year as president of the Retail Butchers' Association of Connecticut, and was also honored by being elected treasurer of the Nation- al Butchers' Association of the United States, which office he held four years.

His plant, located on Britannia street, has a frontage of 135 feet, is 300 feet deep, and also extends along

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the tracks of the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. for 300 feet. The trade he sup- plies is of the highest class and his goods are recognized by jobbers and manufacturers in his line as the best made in New England.

Mr. Wallace was married in 1880 to Carrie E. Brooks, of Cheshire, and has one daughter.

THE H. WALES LINES CO.

A town is what its builders make it. The H. Wales Lines Co. certainly has reason to be proud of the part it has taken in the building of Meriden. Starting in 1864 as Perkins & Lines, the firm has expanded with the growth of the town and to-day is one of the largest building concerns in New Eng- land. Nearly all of the factories, bus- iness blocks, schools, churches and bet- ter class of private residences have been erected by them and their per- manent character tells of the thorough manner with which this concern does its work.

In 1878 the withdrawal of Mr. Per- kins necessitated a change in the bus- iness name of the firm and the com- pany became H. Wales Lines & Co., consisting of Mr. Lines and Henry E. Fairchild.

In 1888 the company was incorpo- rated under its present name with H. Wales Lines as president and treas- urer, Henry E. Fairchild, vice-presi- dent, and Lewis A. Miller, secretary.

The reputation of the firm was widely known and a demand for such a concern existing in other places the

company found it to their advantage to accept contracts outside of Meriden. This outside work increased and with it their facilities for handling it. They now execute contracts in any state and are prepared to do any kind of work at any time and in any place.

Architects, engineers and prospec- tive builders found it paid them to employ a firm who could handle any size contract with promptness and the substantial, well-built public buildings, churches, libraries, college buildings, school houses, mercantile blocks, resi- dences, manufacturing plants, etc., that this company has erected in Con- necticut and other states are an evi- dence of this.

The company has in its employ an efficient corps of engineers, draftsmen and other persons trained and expe- rienced, capable of meeting the re- quirements in a thoroughly practical way of every detail of the building business.

Since its inception the company has dealt at wholesale and retail in build- ing materials and supplies of all kinds. From their organization special at- tention has been given to this branch and they are now among the largest wholesale dealers in their line in the state.

The growth of the business de- manded larger and more convenient quarters than had been previously oc- cupied, so 400 feet of railroad front- age was purchased on State street and the plant erected which is shown in the illustration. The main storehouse is 150 feet long, two stories high, and

MANUFACTORIES.

147

forty feet in width. The office is a model of convenience. Extending from the storehouse and connected with it is a brick stable. It is difficult to imagine a more satisfactory place in which to carry on this business. Ample storage room for quickly and cheaply handling materials is a neces- sary thing to profitably meet the com-

Portland cement, lime, granite, mar- ble, blue stone, hair, mortar colors, pat- ent plastering mortars, plaster of Paris, building brick, fire brick, etc. Being New England agents for vitrified Ohio sewer pipe and flue linings they can furnish the best quality direct from the kilns and carry in Meriden a stock of from fifteen to twenty car-

THE H. WALES LINES CO. BUILDING MATERIALS.

Photo by R. S. Godfrey.

OFFICE AND PLANT OF THE H. WALES LINES CO.

petition in this line of trade. This company has unusual facilities for supplying at the manufacturer's price heavy articles which enter into the construction of a building, such as lumber, steel, cast iron, metal lath, ex- panded metal and all other materials for reinforced concrete construction,

loads to fill orders requiring immediate delivery. Every kind of builders' supplies can be furnished promptly and at low prices.

It is interesting to note that of the prominent buildings illustrated in this book, there are very few which have not been built by the Lines Company.

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A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

Some of the most important are: First Congregational church, St. Jo- seph's church, High school, the plant of the Bradley & Hubbard Mfg. Co., nearly all the buildings of the Meri- den Britannia Co., Woolen mill, Wil- cox & White Organ Co., Journal Publishing Co., Meriden Morning

and the new Town Hall building now in process of erection. Also many of the better class of private residences were built by them.

A few of the buildings erected by them outside of Meriden, are: Resi- dences of J. H. Whittemore at Nauga- tuck and Middlebury, Conn. ; factories

CONN

PYRIGHTED 1804 LILIANA PURCHASE EXPOSITI

CONNECTICUT BUILDING, ST. LOUIS EXPOSITION, 1904.

Record building, Connecticut Brew- eries Co., City Mission block, Win- throp hotel, Wilcox block, Palace block, Swift & Co., Armour & Co., Y. M. C. A. building, State School for Boys, Curtis Home, Meriden National Bank, Meriden Savings Bank, Meri- den Hospital, Curtis Memorial Library

of the United States Rubber Co., Nau- gatuck ; plant of the Excelsior Needle Co., Torrington ; chimney stacks and portion of plant of the Coe Brass Co., Torrington ; H. L. Judd Co., Walling- ford ; plant of the Malleable Iron Fit- tings Co., Branford ; National Folding Box & Paper Co., New Haven ; part

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of Yale & Towne Co.'s plant, Stam- ford; part of the plant of the Union Metallic Cartridge Co., Bridgeport ; Winchester Repeating Arms Co., New Haven ; silk mill for Joseph Loth & Co., Norwalk; American Grapho- phone Co., Bridgeport; Mystic Indus- trial Co., Mystic.

Salem High school, Naugatuck ; Whig & Clio Halls, Princeton Univer- sity ; residence of C. Oliver Iselin, New Rochelle, N. Y .; Centenary Colleg- iate Institute, Hackettstown, N. J .; Montefiore Home, Bedford, N. Y .; Overton Hall, Moody's School, Mt. Hermon, Mass .; Turner Library, Tor- rington, Conn .; Skull & Bones and Book & Snake Society Buildings ; Ives Cheeney Memorial gateway at Yale University, New Haven; State Nor- mal schools, Willimantic and Danbury ; Connecticut House, St. Louis Expo- sition, 1904; St. Bernard's church, Rockville, Conn .; Connecticut Agri- cultural college dormitory, Storrs, Conn .; New London City National Bank building, New London, Conn .; offices and car house of the Hartford Street Railway Co., Hartford, Conn. ; plants of the Hall Railway Sig- nal Co., and the Aeolian-Weber Piano Co., at Garwood, N. J. ; Stand- ard Paint Co., at Bound Brook, N. J. ; Fuchs & Lang Mfg. Co., at Ruther- ford, N. J. ; Weber Piano Co., New York City ; fourteen power or trans- former stations for the United Gas & Improvement Co., of Philadelphia ; seven power stations for Westchester Lighting Co., of Mt. Vernon, N. Y .; factory buildings for the Max Ams

Machine Co., and the Mauser Mfg. Co., at Mt. Vernon, N. Y .; factory of the Sanborn Map Co., at Pelham, N. Y.

HENRY E. FAIRCHILD.

Henry E. Fairchild, one of the most respected residents of Meriden

Photo by H. T. Shaw.

H. E. FAIRCHILD.

and who has for forty years been associated with its progress, was born at Woodbridge, Conn. After learning the the trade of a mason in the employ of Smith & Sperry of New Haven, in 1865, he came to Meriden where he con- tinued to work at his trade for the firm of Perkins & Lines. His services

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CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

were so valuable that a short time later he was given an interest in the business, and upon the retirement of Mr. Perkins, Mr. Fairchild became Mr. Lines' only partner, the busi- ness continuing under the name of H. Wales Lines & Co. When the business was merged into a corpora- tion, Mr. Fairchild became its vice- president, which office he now holds. Many of the principal buildings of Meriden have been constructed un- der his personal supervision. Mr. Fairchild is a member of Meridian Lodge, 77, A. F. & A. M., and St. Elmo Commandery, 9, K. T.

He has been twice married, first to Mary Elizabeth Clark, and to that union two sons were born: George W., and Frederick L., and through his first marriage Mr. Fairchild has also two grandchildren, Ralph H. and Ralph E. Fairchild. On Sep- tember 25, 1891 he was again mar- ried to Mary Elizabeth Bliss of Springfield, Mass. Mr. Fairchild resides in his own comfortable home on Chestnut street, and is justly known as one of the most loyal citi- zens of the town.

LEWIS ALBERT MILLER.

Lewis Albert Miller was born in Meriden June 29, 1866, the son of George W. and Lydia M. Miller.

He received his education in the public schools, studying but a short time in the High school.

After working about five months

with the late Amos Ives in his coal office, in May, 1883, he entered the employ of H. Wales Lines & Co. He utilized the opportunities offered to learn every detail of the building bus- iness so that in 1889 when The H. Wales Lines Co. was incorporated he became a stockholder and was short- ly after made secretary of the com- pany, a position he now holds.

Photo by Akers & Pigeon L. A. MILLER.

Mr. Miller has been a participant in the great growth of this contracting firm, whose yearly business now ex- ceeds one million dollars and his en- ergetic efforts have contributed in no small part to its expansion.

Mr. Miller is a member of St. Elmo Commandery, K. T .; the Mystic Shrine; Pilgrims' Harbor Council,

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Royal Arcanum ; also the Home, Col- onial and Wheel Clubs of Meriden.

When the old high wheel was in vogue Mr. Miller was prominent in the sport and did considerable ama- teur racing. He won several cham- pionships and held for a short period the amateur records of the world for one mile. He was also a member of the National Racing Board for a few years.

Mr. Miller although always interest- ed in the politics of the city, has held but one office, serving as councilman from the Second ward during the years of 1893 and 1894.

In 1892 he married Lena Sevelia Merriam. Their home is at 68 Wil- cox avenue.

HOLT & STEVENS.

Irving L. Holt, senior member of the present firm and of whom a bio-

graphical sketch appears elsewhere in this volume, first became con- nected with this agency in 1874. Mr. Stevens first came into the office as clerk in 1881.

The firm, who occupy large of- fices in the Wilcox block, represent the following named insurance com- panies. Agricultural Company of Watertown, N. Y .; American Com- pany of Newark, N. J .; American Company of Boston, Mass .; Ameri- can Company of New York; British- American Assurance Company of Toronto, Can .; Capital Company of Concord, N. H .; Continental Com- pany of New York; Fire Associa- tion of Philadelphia; Firemen's Company of Newark, N. J .; Fire- men's Fund Company of San Fran- cisco, Cal .; Franklin Company of Philadelphia; The German-Ameri- Although the present partnership . can Company of New York; Girard existing between Irving L. Holt and Frank A. Stevens, dates back to March 1, 1892 only, it was in Febru- ary, 1872, that the business of the Meriden Fire Insurance Agency was begun, the first policy being issued to the late Isaac C. Lewis. This was the beginning of the long and honorably conducted business of the insurance agency, which has since grown to one of the largest in the state. In later years real estate was added and now the firm are exten- sively engaged in the sale, rental and care of property.

Company of Philadelphia; Granite State Company, Portsmouth, N. H .: Greenwich Company of New York; Hamburg-Bremen Company of Ger- many ; Holyoke Mutual Company of Salem, Mass .; London and Lan- cashire Company of England; Liv- erpool and London and Globe Company of England ; Magdenburg Fire Company of Germany; Man- chester Assurance Company of Eng- land ; Merchants' Company of Newark, N. J. : New London County Mutual of Norwich. Conn .: New York Underwriters' Agency of New York: Niagara Company of New York, Northern Assurance Com-

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pany of England; North British Mercantile Company of England ; Norwalk Company of Norwalk, Conn .; Phoenix Company of Brook- lyn, N. Y .; Royal Company of Liverpool, Eng .; Security Company of New Haven, Conn .; Springfield F. & M. Company of Springfield, Mass .; Western Assurance Com- pany of Toronto, Can .; Westchester Company of New York, and the Fire Company, County of Philadel- phia. The following companies are also represented by Holt & Stevens. North Western Life of Milwaukee; the Aetna Life and Accident Com- panies of Hartford, Conn .; United States Fidelity and Guarantee Com- pany of Baltimore, and the New York Plate Glass Company of New York.

The members of this firm are counted among the more progres- sive men of Meriden, Mr. Holt being prominent in public life and possessing a creditable career as tax collector, in which capacity he now serves. Frank A. Stevens, although a younger man has proven his value as a resident of the town in many ways. He is the present secretary of the Meriden Board of Trade, which organization has been treated at length in these pages. Both Messrs. Holt and Stevens have dem- onstrated their local pride also in taking a prominent part in the Cen- tennial celebration, both gentlemen serving on the important Finance Committee.

MERIDEN.

A. GREENBACKER & SONS.

Adolf Greenbacker, of A. Green- backer & Sons, born in Steinmauern Baden, Germany, came to this coun- try and to Meriden in 1879. After being employed one year on a farm, he removed to Stonington, Illinois, where he rented a farm which he car- ried on five years. While there he began married life, and his first two children were born, as fol- lows : Josephine, now Mrs. Fred Hem- stead of New Haven, born March 9, 1883, and Joseph, born July 12, 1884. He then took up 240 acres of govern- ment land at Wichita, Kan., which he stocked with all farming implements and machinery and improved the land to a high state of cultivation and was succeeding admirably when he found the climate did not agree with him and he returned east. Making his way back to Meriden with his wife and four children, for his second son, Charles, was born at Wichita, Kan., September 3, 1886, and also his son, Robert, November 29, 1889, and re- entered the Meriden Britannia Com- pany in 1890 where he remained ten years. ,

Five years later he selected his per- manent residence location on Old Col- ony road, opposite the Walnut Grove cemetery, and built his house on the lot which then comprised but three acres of land. He afterwards added to the land three acres purchased from Mrs. Cecelia Yale, the adjoining prop- erty of thirteen acres, of Mrs. Peck, including two houses ; and five acres

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MANUFACTORIES.

of James Hall, all of which land has since been highly cultivated. Still continuing at the Britannia shop, Mr. Greenbacker, with his sons, first started a small milk route and, later, after his son, Joseph, who when he became six- teen years of age, went to Bridgeport where he remained two years, learn- ing the florist business, a greenhouse was built and the florist firm of A. Greenbacker & Sons was formed. Since then the business has grown steadily and rapidly and noticeable en-

nie, born in Meriden, October 27, 1896. Mr. Greenbacker is an active mem- ber of the Meriden Grange and of the official board of Trinity M. E. church, of which church the members of his family are active members.

CHURCH & MORSE.

Meriden's leading hardware con- cern, Church & Morse, whose store is located directly opposite Colony street, in the Palace Block, has been

Photo by R. S. Godfrey.

GREENHOUSES OF A. GREENBACKER & SONS.

largements have been made.

The firm also grow garden truck and supply to the market much in that line. From the fifteen cows now pas- tured Mr. Greenbacker conducts a milk route of no small but limited pro- portions.

Mr. Greenbacker takes pardonable pride in his sons, who are trustwor- thy, conscientious and industrious young men, and besides the children above mentioned are the following : Rosie, born March 13, 1893, and An-

in existence under its present name since 1879, and previous to that, back to 1872, the firm was known as Church & Sprague. The first loca- tion occupied was a small store on East Main street, near the railroad cross- ing, but the business soon outgrew those quarters, and was removed to the present location, where the busi- ness has continued to grow and prosper.

This hardware store has always kept abreast of the times and every-

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thing, usually found in a general hardware store, it contains. This reputable hardware store extends ninety feet to the rear and has a frontage of about twenty-five feet, and both the main floor and base- ment are stocked as full with goods as the commodious quarters allow. In addition to this the firm have a two and a half story brick storehouse fifty by eighty-eight feet in dimen- sions which for several years has been necessary. to their business. The firm enjoys an enviable reputa- tion for reliability and does a large business in general hardware, tools, cutlery, builders' hardware, agricul- tural implements, skates, bicycles, etc.

The reputation of the firm has been built up by treating every cus- tomer with the same degree of fair- ness, making the name of Church & Morse synonymous with honest goods and prices. George A. Church, who was a leading spirit of the firm for many years and was always known as one of the most energetic, able and personally pop- ular men of the town, died Septem- ber 13, 1896, and since his death his son, Robert G. Church, a young man who inherits much of his father's business ability has taken his place in the store representing the interests of the estate.

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An historic record and pictorial description of the town of Meriden, Connecticut and men who have made it, Part 91

Author: Gillespie, Charles Bancroft, 1865-1915; Curtis, George Munson Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Meriden, Conn. Journal publishing co. Number of Pages: 1252

Author: Gillespie, Charles Bancroft, 1865-1915; Curtis, George Munson
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Meriden, Conn. Journal publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1252